Who needs 911? Just follow your nose.
Pictures by PGFD’s Mark E. Brady
Read more on the topic of nature’s smoke alarm in today’s Quick takes
Up on The Hill, as Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department Station 842 has always been known, there are few boring days. Even taking a breather on the front ramp can provide excitement. Take the case Monday afternoon when a firefighter did just that.
Volunteer Firefighter Napoleon Epps quickly “detected a strong odor of a structure fire” as PGFD Chief Spokesman Mark Brady wrote in his press release. The firehouse is at 1100 Marcy Avenue. Across the street and to the the right of FF Epps was the source of the smoke. The apartment building at 1003 Marcy Avenue was burning with heavy smoke rolling off the roof.
The view that FF Epps had when he spotted the fire
Here is the rest of the account from the press release:
Paramedic Engine 842 immediately checked on the air and advised Public Safety Communications via their radio that they were responding to 1003 Marcy Avenue for a working apartment fire and requested a “box alarm”. A “box alarm” consists of 4 engine companies, 2 ladder trucks and a heavy duty rescue squad in addition to command officers and EMS units. Paramedic Engine 842 arrived at the front of the 3-story garden style apartment building and had fire showing from a third floor unit with extension into the attic area. While additional Fire/EMS units were en route, Paramedic Engine 842, with a crew of five firefighters, stretched hose lines and initiated an aggressive interior attack on the fire in addition to alerting residents to evacuate the building. Firefighters worked quickly and knocked the bulk of the fire down in about 20 minutes and were successful in containing the fire to the building of origin.
Eight apartment units will be displaced and management of the Colonial Village Apartment Complex will assist some residents with vacant units while others will be assisted by the Fire/EMS Departments Citizens Services unit with temporary shelter.
Fire Investigators are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire. The fire appears to have originated in the furnace utility closet on the balcony of a top floor apartment. Preliminary fire loss is estimated at $100,000. No injuries were reported.
And for good measure, below is The Hill back in the day (only the fire engines look different).
